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Tuesday November 19 2013

A PRELIMINARY HEARING IS SCHEDULED TODAY FOR 23 YEAR OLD ADAM HARDIN OF CLAYSBURG. THE FORMER NATIONAL GUARD MEMBER IS ACCUSED OF EMAILING BOMB THREATS AGAINST THE BLAIR COUNTY COURTHOUSE OCTOBER 23RD PROMPTING AN EVACUATION. HE’S ALSO ACCUSED OF EMAILING A THREAT ABOUT THE HOLLIDAYSBURG WATER SUPPLY WHICH MEANT A WEEKEND WITHOUT WATER FOR RESIDENTS AND MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO LOST TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO CLOSE. HARDIN WAS IN THE BLAIR COUNTY JAIL ON A NUMBER OF CHARGES WHEN HE ALLEGEDLY USED HIS MILITARY COMPUTER TRAINING TO HACK THE PRISON’S INTERNET SECURITY SYSTEM. HE REMAINS LOCKED UP ON 250-THOUSAND DOLLARS BAIL.

1 KILLED

ONE PERSON DIED IN A FIERY CRASH ON ROUTE 30 NEAR STOYSTOWN, SOMERSET COUNTY, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. STATE POLICE SAY 29 YEAR-OLD JAMES HARRIS JUNIOR OF NEW ALEXANDRIA WAS KILLED WHEN THE DELIVERY TRUCK HE WAS RIDING IN STRUCK A COAL TRUCK HEAD ON. THE COAL TRUCK THEN COLLIDED WITH A 3RD VEHICLE BEFORE ROLLING ONTO ITS SIDE AND CATCHING FIRE. THE DRIVERS OF ALL 3 VEHICLES WERE TAKEN TO MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER IN JOHNSTOWN…AND THE COAL TRUCK DRIVER WAS TRANSFERRED TO A PITTSBURGH HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE BURNS

DRUGS BLAMED FOR FALL

STATE COLLEGE POLICE SAY 20 YEAR OLD PENN STATE STUDENT CONOR MACMANNIS WAS HIGH ON A PSYCHEDELIC DRUG WHEN HE FELL 9 STORIES TO HIS DEATH FROM THE PENN TOWN APARTMENT BUILDING EARLY SATURDAY. 5 OTHER MEN WERE ALSO IN THE APARTMENT AND POLICE SAY SOME OF THEM WERE INCOHERENT WITH RAPID HEART RATES, PARANOIA, AND HALLUCINATIONS. COPS ARE TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE SOURCE OF THE DRUGS.

FIRE IN ALTOONA

7 PEOPLE WERE LEFT HOMELESS IN ALTOONA YESTERDAY WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT OUTSIDE A HOUSE…THEN THE FLAMES WERE FANNED BY THE BRISK WINDS INTO A 4 UNIT APARTMENT BUILDING ON THE 300 BLOCK OF 11TH STREET. INVESTIGATORS THINK AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION SPARKED THE FIRE ON A SERVICE LINE OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON DOORS AND MADE SURE EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFELY. BOTH STRUCTURES SUSTAINED 10- TO 15-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES.

SHOOTING IN JOHNSTOWN

DRUGS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN A SHOOTING AT THE PROSPECT HOMES IN JOHNSTOWN SUNDAY MORNING…AND POLICE HAVE CHARGED 4 PEOPLE. POLICE SAY 26 YEAR OLD TYSHAWN PLOWDEN SHOT RAMON HERNANDEZ TWICE IN THE TORSO. HE’S RECOVERING AT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER. POLICE RECEIVED A TIP AND FOUND PLOWDEN AT AN APARTMENT ON GRAY AVENUE. THEY ALSO FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF DRUGS AND ARRESTED DONNIE JONES, JASMINE HINTON AND NATHANIEL DANNER ON DRUG CHARGES. ALL 4 ARE IN THE CAMBRIA COUNTY JAIL.

LAWYER SUES BLAIR COUNTY

DEATH ROW INMATE ANDRE STATON USED HIS HANDCUFFED WRISTS TO CLUB HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY DURING A BLAIR COUNTY COURTHOUSE HEARING BACK IN MAY…AND NOW THE ALTOONA MIRROR REPORTS THAT LAWYER TIM BURNS IS SUING BLAIR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE PRISON BOARD, AND THE SHERIFF. BURNS…WHO IS STILL RECOVERING FROM A CONCUSSION AND OTHER INJURIES…CLAIMS SECURITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TIGHTER. THE LAWSUIT SEEKS AT LEAST 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGES ON EACH OF 5 COUNTS. NO COMMENT YET FROM COUNTY OFFICIALS.

SANDUSKY SCANDAL

PENN STATE OFFICIALS SAY COSTS FOR THE JERRY SANDUSKY SCANDAL ARE ALMOST 52 MILLION DOLLARS AS OF AUGUST 31ST. THE LATEST DATA IS POSTED ON PENN STATE’S PROGRESS WEBSITE. THE TOTAL INCLUDES 12 MILLION DOLLARS IN FINE MONEY PAID SO FAR TO THE NCAA, AS WELL AS LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSES.

FOLLOWING THE SANDUSKY SCANDAL, DONALD TRUMP ONCE AGAIN CRITICIZED PENN STATE’S LEADERSHIP SUNDAY. HIS TWITTER MESSAGE READ: “THE WIMPS THAT RUN PENN STATE SHOULD BE FORCED TO RESIGN (AND BE SUED) FOR THE PATHETIC SETTLEMENT THEY MADE AND DESTRUCTION OF A GREAT LEGACY.” THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS AUTHORIZED SETTLEMENTS WITH 26 MEN WHO CLAIM THEY WERE ABUSED. MONDAY, TRUMP SENT A TWEET BASHING THE NCAA. IT SAID: “HOW DID THE NCAA, WHICH IS WEAK AND BECOMING IRRELEVANT, EXTRACT SUCH A BIG & REPUTATION SHATTERING SETTLEMENT FROM PENN STATE. OTHERS ZERO!”

NO DEAL ON TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

A BILL TO RAISE FEES AND TAXES TO FUND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN THE STATE IS DEAD IN THE WATER. THE HOUSE SHOT DOWN THE BILL YESTERDAY WITH A VOTE OF 98 TO 103. THE PLAN WAS BACKED BY GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT, WHO HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY SAYING THE LONGER LAWMAKERS WAIT, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT WILL BE. HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN NICK MICOZZIE CALLED THE SITUATION, "CRITICAL" SAYING IT IS A TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE DEBATE COULD RESUME AS EARLY AS TODAY.

GAMBLING IN BARS?

LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW PENNSYLVANIA BARS TO PROFIT FROM SMALL GAMES OF CHANCE IS WAITING FOR GOVERNOR TOM CORBETT’S SIGNATURE. THE SENATE VOTED TO APPROVED THE HOUSE BILL YESTERDAY, PERMITTING BAR OWNERS TO APPLY FOR A LICENSE TO OFFER PULL-TAB GAMES, DAILY DRAWINGS AND RAFFLES. THE BARS WOULD THEN IN TURN, PAY A 60 PERCENT STATE TAX AND 5 PERCENT LOCAL TAX ON THE PROCEEDS. OFFICIALS SAY THE BILL COULD GENERATE UP TO 200-MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY FOR PENNSYLVANIA.